The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-11-01
STREET LIGHTING.

It must be confessed that Salt Lake is
an abominably hghted1city. We do not
say this out of any disrespect to the
corporation, nor with any desire to be
understood as criticising the gas COM
pany. The gas is of fairly good quail
lily, and is furnished 10 the municipal
ity at a reasonable price-much less
!than the contract price-and not out
|rageously above cost, considering that it
8 monopoly which supplies the arti-
|5le. The number of lamps is also as
arge, perhaps, as the city would be
warranted in maintaining in view
|pf the limited revenue of the
corporation, and the constantly in
;reasing expenses. Nevertheless, the
|Slty is most miserably light d,
{ the stringing of lamps along few of
be more prominent streets can be
allied lighting the city. The people
wing along the DARK streets frequently,
they do not constantly complain, and
nd not infrequently their indignation
closely akin TO the righteous
ariety. When one has to feel
is way through the dark.
tumbling now and then over
ebbles, boulders and other obstruc-
ons on the sidewalks, and occasionally
Inning into similarly distressed in
ividual whom he assumes to be a
ighwayman, he is in right mood and
|smper to denounce somebody, and
hat is more natural than that he
aould pounce upon the City Council
I'D the gas company?
1t is proposition to which all will
Isent, that there should be more street
ghts; but ought we not also to con-
der beyond this want OF the indi-
dual, and say something regarding
e cost of satisfying the popular want?
our memory is not at fault the last
ntract for streeu-lighting was
the rate Of something like
per annum per lamp. 1t seems
trifing sum, and yet it counts up
ry rapidly. There are four lamps in a
lbck, and a block of street lighting is
It even noticed as improvement by
ose not living in that particular
hare. We have SO many and such
lg streets that the extension of the
nps over a mile seems a little mat
but that extension costs hundred
liars a month. Is there an adequate
urn for the expense? Let US put the
)position in another way. Would
residents along that mile be willing
pay the hundred dollars month for
lights? Would they pay half that
a, or even one-fourth of it for the
ury? We don't believe they would
they would not be Wiling to pay
rth the cost, ought the city to incur
expenseP
he street-lighting business presents
ae problems similar to those which
re forced themselves upon the NUM-
atty in connection with the water |
.ong these is the question of whether
entire city should be taxed to pay
lighting half dozen streets in the |
4 ter of town, or there should bs a |
i lighting tax. If the latter rule
q uld be adopted, and the matter of |
8 ting block be left to the property,
j hers on that block, we might have
q or more street lights, but there
s Id certainly not be so many COM
nts on the part of those who now
s * they are abused and defrauded
Dugh living on dark streets. In view
ne many petitions for street lamps
5ented to the City Council, and of the
3 milling heard on all sides, it might
be out of the way for the Council to
lire into the propriety of imposing
zeal tax for street lighting. The
ter is worChy attention.